Day 5 – Matter Prints

And on the 5th Day of Archibald Christmas we bring to you Matter Prints – a socially conscious clothing shop! You'll definitely want to buy a gift or two (for yourself also) from them! Farisia Thang, Content & Partnerships Curator had a lot to tell us about Matter Prints!

Where you are from and why did Matter Prints start? MATTER is based in Singapore. Founded in 2014, we began simply with the intention to make where and why something is made, and by whom, matter. An idea born of conversations and late night dreaming between two friends, Yvonne and Ren, became a mission to make connected clothing - that celebrated the rich Asian cultural heritage and textiles, and at the same time building a social business that enabled the textile craft to continue as a viable industry while kindling positive impact.

What is your mission and vision for your business and why are you passionate about it?MATTER is a socially motivated business focusing on affordable luxury, thoughtful design and provenance to create travel wear with stories to tell. Our mission is three fold– to foster designer-artisan collaborations, inspire consumers to value provenance and process, and pioneer industry change and sustainability for rural textile communities.

What is your favorite part of your business?“There is something to be learned from anyone.” That’s the motto we go by and it’s really resonated with us in every interaction and relationship we build through MATTER. It is in the artisans that we are partnered with, and in the process of seeing a narrative unravelled from print to product. However, at the heart of it all, it is the community that we have built. We sit among stories, and every story we encounter is meaningful to us.

What is the hardest part of your business?We are unapologetically non-preservationist when it comes to craft. Craft itself as an industry is finding it difficult to compete with traditional fast-paced industries. We always ask – what are the parts that we can preserve and what can we mechanize? For that reason, some of our ikat pieces are hand tied and dyed but power-loomed.

What advice do you have for people out there about shopping ethically?You have the power to make the impact, and every small action amounts to something greater. It can begin with something as simple as spreading awareness and encouraging your community to seek transparency in brands they shop with.

Why is it important to support small and/or ethical businesses?Your choice of a product is a vote in supporting certain value supply chains over others. When you choose to buy from an ethical business, it’s a vote into building the kind of world you want to see.

Please share anything else you would like about your shop!To maintain sustainable production practices, we consciously and carefully plan our designs so that we utilize the entire textile to eliminate wastage. Alongside that, we create our products to make sure the pieces are adjustable to fit you as your body changes. With a versatile wrap and multiple button closure option, the pants will be able to loosen or tighten depending on how your body changes over time.